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Approved 6.4.25
<br /> 56
<br /> 57 Cy Stober: It's a hot topic. We have Class A and Class B roads for private subdivisions and if you have more
<br /> 58 than 12 lots you must build your road to NCDOT standards, which are class A. Our A standards
<br /> 59 are nearly the same, and the intent is if you have more than 12 lots that the road will be taken over
<br /> 60 by NCDOT for maintenance. That's a 50-foot right-of-way,which is more generous. The Class B
<br /> 61 roads,which are two to five lots, are more challenging and really are the ones that Director
<br /> 62 Saunders, I think, along with our legacy road network,which really,those are the 12-foot graded,
<br /> 63 but not fully surfaced access roads, driveways, etc., that were built 50 years ago, and we still have
<br /> 64 and may have an easement likely due, maybe part of the private road network but don't meet our
<br /> 65 current standards, and we seek to improve them whenever we can. The pressing matter is that
<br /> 66 the NCDOT in December issued,without request for comment, a new turnaround standard, so
<br /> 67 you get to a cul-de-sac or a T turnaround at the end of a private, or a public road, and it does not
<br /> 68 conform with the fire code. It is much smaller. It would not accommodate an apparatus, and it
<br /> 69 would be challenging from what Kirby's shared with me for even your standard ambulance to turn
<br /> 70 around on that cul-de-sac. It's a 60-foot diameter, and the fire code requires 96 foot in width, and
<br /> 71 we've submitted a formal comment letter to DOT at their request now, and the division engineers
<br /> 72 are getting together with the Board of Transportation to see how they can resolve the matter with
<br /> 73 DOT.
<br /> 74
<br /> 75 Chris Johnson: So, in a conflict between a DOT and a fire code, or whatever the case may be, is there one group
<br /> 76 that outweighs the other in regard to these sorts of things? When DOT comes and says, hey,we
<br /> 77 only require this, and fire code says this,what are we expected to adhere to?
<br /> 78
<br /> 79 Cy Stober: I have a professional opinion, but I think that what, right now my opinion is that the office of the
<br /> 80 State Fire Marshal needs to be asked by DOT to reconcile the concern and, but I would defer to
<br /> 81 what is more protective of human safety and preservation of life.
<br /> 82
<br /> 83 Kirby Saunders: Yeah, I think the 96,to answer your question right now,what it's requiring us to do is take each
<br /> 84 development on a case-by-case basis. So,when we do review a development, it doesn't meet the
<br /> 85 standard,the fire code,we will ask for or redesign or alternative design to review and get as close
<br /> 86 as we can to that 96 foot, and we will have to assess it on a residential development. The risk,
<br /> 87 what fire district it's in, is that acceptable to the County, is it allowing us enough opportunity to
<br /> 88 make a turn around and evacuate and do a calculation on a case-by-case development basis
<br /> 89 which it would maximize the best we can to ensure safety and response and access within some
<br /> 90 reason as close as we could to that 96 feet. The issue with 96 feet is we don't have a long wheel-
<br /> 91 based firetrucks like we used to have a long time ago. The challenge in a residential
<br /> 92 neighborhood and why 96 foot is so important is because if that were a completely empty cul-de-
<br /> 93 sac, 96 feet would be more than enough. We know in reality those cul-de-sacs get filled with cars
<br /> 94 and basketball goals and children and bicycles and other things and so we have to account for
<br /> 95 that when we have a response, and on our end, it's the response side, mainly with the fire code
<br /> 96 and emergency management is we also want to make sure the people can get out of that
<br /> 97 neighborhood if they had to evacuate. Regardless of fire, it could be hazardous material. It could
<br /> 98 be something else, but if they need to evacuate out of that neighborhood,we want them to have
<br /> 99 the best chance at success while simultaneously,we're responding into the neighborhood.
<br /> 100
<br /> 101 Charity Kirk: And you're assuming evacuation is going to be by car.
<br /> 102
<br /> 103 Kirby Saunders: By car, by walk. How ever they can get out of there. We would assume that most people if there
<br /> 104 was orderly evacuation and enough sufficient time and resources,they would probably drive.
<br /> 105 Yes, ma'am.
<br /> 106
<br /> 107 Dolores Bailey: You mentioned educating the most vulnerable populations. How are you all doing that?
<br /> 108
<br /> 109 Kirby Saunders: That's a great question. We are working directly with community leaders, El Futuro as an
<br /> 110 example, is a community organization supports a lot of the work in the Carrboro and Chapel Hill
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